Page 11 of Her Shadow

“Thank you, Mona,” Kara said, unable now to control her sobs. “I missed you guys so much. We lost good people.”

“The best,” Mona replied, clenching her hands together.

“I got to her just in time,” Sam ventured. “I brought her back. She’s putting a brave face on it, but she’s not doing well.”

“Sorry, everyone,” Kara interjected. “This is Sam. She got to me and saved me. She’s been protecting me. She’s a survivor, like us.”

“Protecting you?” another voice chimed in, a burly man with a braided beard. “Maybe she needs to bear in mind that it’s just as dangerous in here as it is out there.”

“Enough, Jenk,” Kara cried out, almost shouting. “You can trust Sam. She’s done what she needs to do to survive, just like the rest of us. I can’t believe you guys! I thought you’d be happy to see us. I lost five good people out there. I’ve been through hell! And this is how you react? What’s going on with you all? Give me a goddamned break.”

The tension in the air thickened, and Sam could feel every gaze on her. They were weighing her up. She glanced at Kara, searching for reassurance, but Kara was too upset to speak.

“So, what’s your story?” the woman with the scar asked, her tone softening slightly. “How did you end up finding Kara? I’mMona, by the way. Oh, and I can tell if you’re a bullshitter, so don’t try me.”

As Sam began to recount her journey, she noticed how Kara leaned in closer, their shoulders brushing. She realized that everyone around the fire pit had also seen.

“I’m part of a nomadic group. I suppose you could call me their leader, but we never really made it official,” Sam explained. “We moved from place to place, searching for supplies, looking for safe spots. When we were out searching, I found Kara on her own, injured. She was desperate to get back here, and I couldn’t leave her to make that journey on her own.”

“You risked your life for her,” the scarred woman said. Sam thought she could hear a hint of admiration as she spoke. “That counts for something. Are you planning on staying?”

“I’ll need to get back to my people at some point. But perhaps I could rest up here a while?” she asked, daring to hope that this wouldn’t cause an issue.

“What?” questioned Kara, her eyes widening as she wrapped her arms around her body and took a step back. “But why?”

“I’m the best chance they’ve got. I wasn’t planning to just abandon them,” she explained, knowing that she had touched on a subject she and Kara hadn’t really had time to discuss. “You knew that.”

Another man in the group coughed, drawing everyone’s attention away from Sam and Kara. He was a younger guy in his early twenties. He was clean-shaven. His clothes were neat, and his hair was carefully combed. “We all know what it’s like to fight for the ones we care about, Kara. If the lady says she isn’t staying, she isn’t staying. Just drop it. Sam, as far as I’m concerned, you can stay as long as you like…but you’ll have to run it by the captain.”

Sam decided to read his attitude as one of warmth, although a part of her still felt the tension lingering. Would the others atFort Haven feel the same, or would they associate her with the deaths of five of their tribe? And who was thiscaptainguy?

Kara smiled at Sam, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “See? I told you everything would be okay.”

But Sam still couldn’t shake the feeling it wasn’t going to be as simple as that.

Later that evening, after they’d had a chance to wash up and change their clothes, Sam and Kara found a quiet corner near the central area in the courtyard. Everyone had gathered to share food and keep warm by huddling together, blankets wrapped around their shoulders. The laughter and chatter faded into a gentle hum, allowing them a moment to breathe.

“Thank you,” Sam said, her voice low. “You stuck up for me earlier, and I appreciate it.”

Kara shifted closer, their thighs brushing against each other. “You deserve it. You’ll see. Everyone will come around. They need time. I want you to stay, you know? I got upset when you mentioned going back. Life would be better for you here and we could…you know, get to know each other more.”

Sam looked at Kara, her heart racing as she noticed the way the evening light caught her features. She watched as Kara’s lips curled into what had become a familiar, inviting smile. “I know. Let’s not think about it tonight. It’s a big ask.”

“I have to think about it tonight,” Kara replied with annoyance. “I don’t want to just let you walk away and not give any of this a chance. How often do you find a connection? A real connection?”

The air between them crackled with unspoken tension, and Sam could feel the pull, the longing that had been growing allday. “What if they don’t accept me? What if I’m just a reminder of what they lost? Who’s thiscaptain, and why have you never mentioned him. I don’t feel at ease.”

Kara’s expression softened, and she reached out, her fingers brushing against Sam’s. “You’re not just a reminder. You had nothing to do with my gang dying. Nothing. But listen, you could be a part of this now. Don’t you want to stay here…with me?”

Kara touched Sam’s hand, and a shiver ran down her spine. The warmth of Kara’s hand was comforting but frustrating. “You make it sound so easy.”

“It won’t be easy, but it’s something worth thinking about. Will you think about it, please?” Kara replied, her eyes searching Sam’s. “And the captain’s a woman, by the way. Laeticia. You’ll meet her at some point. She’ll already know about you.”

“Really?” Sam whispered as she grabbed Kara’s hand and squeezed it. “She knows?”

“Sure. She knows everything. But you didn’t answer my question.” Kara shook her head in disappointment. “I think you’re scared of exploring this…whatever it is that’s happening here.”

Their gazes locked, the tension building as Fort Haven and its people seemed to fade into the distance. In that moment, all that remained was the undeniable connection they shared.

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